Hampton makes his choice

Joe Hampton decided that Saturday was the day to end his recruitment, and he is headed to the Big Ten.

Ever since taking over the job, Head Coach Patrick Chambers has made it a point to recruit the Washington DC area. That helped him land one of the better commitments in recent memory for the school on Saturday when power forward Joe Hampton pledged to the Big Ten school.

At around 6-foot-6 and 245 pounds, Hampton is someone who has been on the radar for a while. He has a unique skill set for such a big man, and has consistently stood out while playing with DC Premier. He struggled with injuries this spring and summer, but Penn State stayed with him.

That hard work led to a commitment, and Hampton is very excited for the future.

“It is like a family there, and I am very familiar with the coaching staff,” said Hampton. “I love the way Coach Chambers coaches and the basketball is so close. They are already like my brothers.”

Hampton made an impact at Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic his first two seasons, but now will take his game to Mouth of the Wilson (Va.) Oak Hill Academy to finish out his high school career.